Tube to get air-conditioned trains
"Work began on Monday on the first air-conditioned trains for London's underground rail network, Metronet Rail, which is renovating part of the "Tube", said on Monday.

"Metronet's partner, Bombardier Transportation, began welding together the first sections of an aluminium underframe for the new design.

""The first of 190 air-conditioned trains will arrive on London's Metropolitan line by 2010."
[from Independent Online]

"London’s train services will not cope with future demand unless significant investment is put in place, according to a new report by the London Assembly.

"Track to the Future - A Review of Rail Services In London, says three quarters of all UK rail journeys start or end in the capital, yet the Assembly Transport Committee report highlights the disparity in subsidy between the amounts London receives, compared to the rest of the country. The report says a third of rail services to London exceed the guidelines for overcrowding and this, together with passenger dissatisfaction and fares, has been rising steadily.

"The report calls for additional funding and investment to correct the disparity in subsidy. It says this should be addressed through a specific pot of funding for London from the Transport Innovation Fund (TIF).The committee also supports business levies as an alternative means of funding rail investment."
[from Transport Briefing]

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